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Health & Wellness Mental Health

Six Simple Changes I’ve Implemented To Improve My Physical and Mental Health


There are always ways that we can strive toward positive change.

When viewed from afar, this truth can feel overwhelming. Change isn’t necessarily going to be easy or instant.

Our bodies are wired to follow a sequence of events; we are creatures of habit. You will most likely not be able to wake up one morning and cut out the coffee habit that you’ve had for twenty years or go from being sedentary to running a marathon the next day.

However, there are small changes that you can make every single day to improve your health and wellness. Below are six habits I have implemented over the last year to strive towards change, which you can also use.


No more drinking coffee on an empty stomach

Roll out of bed, stumble downstairs, turn on the coffee maker, and start sippin’ on that warm cup o’ joe before it’s ready. Forget to eat anything because you are no longer hungry, and the tone is set for the rest of your day.

I’ve been there. 

Somehow, it wasn’t until over the last year that I realized my morning coffee might not be doing me any favors. 

Everyone is different, but numerous nutritionists/dieticians recommend putting some substance in your body before taking a hit of caffeine. I’ve started ensuring I eat something small before consuming caffeine, and my body is very thankful.


Taking magnesium & natural supplements vs. random sleeping pills 

Ever since I was a child, I’ve struggled with sleeping.

For years I used alcohol, over-the-counter sleeping meds, and various other things to try to knock myself out instead of dealing with the issue first-hand. I knew this was not good for my health long-term, so I began researching alternatives and settled on a woman-led brand supplement I’ll take on those toss-and-turn nights; otherwise, it’s only a little magnesium.

Perhaps the next step is to try meditation again, but this blog is about embracing baby steps/changes.


Limiting TV for extra reading time

Streaming services have made it too easy to bounce from one show to another. So much content is being released daily that I can’t keep up.

For a long time, I would spend 2/3/4 hours a night in bed watching shows to unwind, and I realized that it was too easy to go down the rabbit hole, so I set a rule for myself. I can only watch one show episode on weeknights, and then I read before bed.

Not only does this keep me from binge-watching a show, it also allows me to enjoy it for longer. I hate the feeling when you finish a good show and it’s over, so maybe I just want to torture myself and drag it out to avoid searching for something new. 


Taking actual rest days 

I know that we all hear it, but I also know that many of us have been guilty (myself included) of working out daily without incorporating rest. 

Now, rest days don’t mean you have to sit on the couch, but you shouldn’t have to hit the weights or run for miles to keep from losing your mind.

In the past, I would “forget” to add it to my week without realizing I was hindering my progress and negating all my hard work. Taking breaks allows our bodies to build even more muscle and will help us make better progress toward our fitness goals.


Going on walks/enjoying nature without any distraction

Music is one of the most significant parts of my life.

My husband and I love attending concerts/festivals together, and my father is a musician, so I grew up connecting with it. 

However, when you have it playing all day during work and then during every walk and hike, there is no time to connect with the world.

Lately, I’m forcing myself to leave the AirPods at home when I walk our pup or when we are on a hike. Not only does it allow me to be more present, but I’ve realized that being fully aware and in the moment is pretty dang priceless.


Accepting that I am worthy of my life

Years ago, after my abusive relationship, I started going to therapy for the first time.

I had to begin working through years of childhood trauma, previous relationship baggage, self-hatred, and volatile patterns. It was a long road towards healing, which I am still on, but I got to where I felt good and didn’t go back for over three years.

Then a few weeks ago, I had a session. It was exactly what I needed, but there is something that my therapist said that stuck with me the most.

I had everything I could have ever wanted but couldn’t fully be in the moment because I didn’t deem myself worthy of the life and love I had been given.

So I’ve begun reminding myself that I am worthy. Because it doesn’t matter if my friends, husband, family, or random strangers believe it and tell me. I have to think deep within that I am worthy.

Always remind yourself that change doesn’t have to be complicated. It simply takes a few minor tweaks to what you are doing today to start making lasting impacts on your future.

Carrie Wynn

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